Improved apparatus for manufacturex  illuminating-gas



@dinard mes @met (119mm.

Letters Patent No. 91,588, dated Juner22, 1869.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING ILLUMINATING-GAS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent. and making part of the same.

To all whom tt Ima/y concern.-

' the apparatus.

, Figure 2 represents a plan of the same.

Figure 3 represents a detail of the apparatus.

The object of this invention is to produce an illumi-A nating-gas, by impregnating common atmospheric air with thevapor of suitable hydrocarbon-fluids, and is carried into effect by the employment of the apparatus now to be described.

In the drawings, similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Letter a is the outside shell, or case of gasometer, or air-holder. It may be circular in form, as shown in the drawings, or of any other form suitable for the position in which it is to be placed.

l It will be open at top, and closed at bottom, its dimensions being commensurate with the quantity of gas tobe manufactured.

b is the inner shell of the gasometer, and is of the same general form as the external casing, but suiiciently less in diameter to enable it to rise or fall freely in the outer case. It will be closed at the top, and opened at the bottom, as shown in lig. 1.

c is a cock, or valve, to admit the air, when the inner case is to be raised for the purpose of filling. It may be placed in the centre, as shown, or in any other convenient place.

d is the gas-generator, circular in form, as shown in iig. 3. It is closed at top and bottom.

On the inner side it is subdivided into sections, by diaphragms f and g, both radiating and circular, as shown in fig. 3. These diaphragme extend from the bottom to the top.

The circular ones are made of tin, or other suitable metal, while the radiating ones are made of finely-perforated zinc, or other metal, and closely covered with cotton wicking.

e Ais a pipe, extending above the level of the water in the outer case, for admitting the air into the gasgenerator d, into which it is forced by the atmospheric pressure caused by the descent of the inner case b.

The air, on entering into 1the generator, follows through the spaces 4between the circular diaphraglns, as indicated by the arrows in fig. 3, in its course passing through the radiating perforated diaphragms ff, to the centre, and from thence out of the generator by the pipe h.

This pipe h is arranged substantially as shown in g. 1,- and leads to the burners.

i is a pipe, leading from the bottom of the gas-generator, for the purposeof drawing oii the fluid, when Y necessary.

k-is a tank, for holding the duid which it receives by the funnelled pipe l, provided with a suitable stopcock.

This tank k is placed `a short distance above the gas'- generator, and is connected to it by the pipe m, also possessing,r a stop-cock. The bottom end of this pipe approaches within one inch of the bottom of the generator, so as to maintain the fluid at an equal level.-

The cock in the pipe can be actuated by a long handle, or lever, rising above the level of thewater in the ontsidecasing. l

11. is a pipe, for the escape of the atmospheric air from the tank k, when'it is being filled with fluid, and i may be provided with a stopper at its upper endl.

o is a tap, for emptying the water in the outer case.

With the foregoing brief description of my inven-V tion, to which I have given the name of The Excel sior Gas-Machine, I will now proceed to describe its mode of action.

The apparatus being arranged substantially as described, with the outer casing filled to within three inches of its ltop with water, any :suitable hydrocarbon-fluid is admitted by the pipe Z into the tank k, the air from which escapes by the pipe n; When the tank la has been filled, the cock in pipe l is closed, and the stopper placed in pipe n. The cock in pipe v1n. is then opened, and the fluid allowed to enter the generator, in which it will rise to the level of the bottom of the pipe m.

. The radiating diaphragms j', standing in the uid, are saturated by the ascent of the uid,throngh capillary attraction, and the air, being forced into the generator by the pressure of the -air in the gasom'eter, is

forced through the saturated diaphragms, taking-up the vapor as it passes through them, and escaping by the pipe h leading to the burners, in the form of illuminating-gas.

When the tank la requires lling, the inner case b Iis lraised Vclear of the outer case, the cock c being rst opened, to admit air, and a fresh supply of uid is poured in the tube l, as before described, and so on.

The inner case l1 is suspended by suitable compensating, or balance-weights, and the cock c being opened, it is allowed to rise until the bottom is vjust below the surface of the water in the outer case. The cock c is then closed, and the'weights being adjusted, the descent of the inner case will force the illuminating-gas, so prepared, to the burners.

I am aware that an apparatus for manufacturing air-gas, and enriching other gas in which the carbonaceous matter is enclosed within an air-forcing appara-` tus, consisting of a gravtating air-holder and. waterj; and pipes h e i, all arranged as and for the purpose receptacle, has heretofore been made, and I, therefore, specified.

do not claim such invention; but having fully described 2. The within-described arrangement ofthe gas my invention, generator d and k, with relation to each other, and to What I do'claim, and desire to secure by LettersA the gasometer a b, as and for the purpose specified. Patent, isi-- :Witnesses 1 1. The closed gas-generator d, provided -with the CHARLES LEGGE, circular diaphragms g, radiating perforated diaphragme CHARLES G. O. SIMPSON.

ROBERT ALsoP. 

